In this section of Reservation Blues, Thomas meets a girl named Chess. He can really relate to her
because she seems to see music in the same way that he does. She describes the power that used to
come from her mother when she played the piano. She recalls, "I used to think her songs drifted
across the entire reservation. I imagined they knocked deer over and shook the antlers of moose and
elk," (66-67). Thomas also feels that his music can carry this kind of power. This is probably the
reason that his guitar "talks". In the first section, the reader questions why Thomas's guitar is
personified and able to talk. The guitar cannot actually talk, but it speaks to Thomas in a way only
music can. It's the only way Thomas knows how to send a message.
In this section of the novel, we are also exposed more to some creative Indian names. We already
knew Thomas Builds-the-Fire and David WalksAlong. I imagine these names are given to them
because of things they are good at, or simply like to do. However, I can't wrap my head around the
names of the sisters we meet in this section. "Chess and Checkers Warm Water, Flathead Indian
sisters, pushed their way to the front of the crowd in the Tipi Pole Tavern," (55). It never actually
says why Chess and Checkers Warm Water received their names but they seem extra bizarre. One
thing is for sure, it makes their names extremely memorable. This shows a lot about Native
American culture and how they work as a society. It makes me wonder what my name would be if I
were a Native American Indian. Would it be Matt PlaysSoccer or Matt WatchesFootball. These are
some uncreative ideas for my name, but it is interesting to think about.
Chess and Thomas both really enjoy the power of music. They seem to use it to block out all the terrible aspects of being Indian, and use it as a positive aspect. That’s truly amazing how they take something so terrible and make it into a positive aspect. Also, the Indian’s names are really cool. They seem to resemble what they’re good at. Maybe the girls are good at Chess and Checkers so that’s why they get there name. However, a possible foreshadowing is that they very intelligent and good at manipulating people. This may possibly have a huge impact as the book goes on.
ReplyDeleteI wrote about the same thing in my last post as well. I would have predicted that Thomas and Chess would become very close because of their affinity to music. But to call it an affinity is almost an understatement. Music has become deeply ingrained in their souls, never to be separated. Music is their life, and seeing as they are both so deeply connected to music, it makes perfect sense that they'd become closer. I wonder if the fact that their names were never revealed is foreshadowing. Many other characters get an introduction to their names but we receive none for these two women. hopefully we'll get some sort of explanation, even if it's just something simple and anti-climactic.
ReplyDeleteI too wrote about something similar to how music was of great importance of these Native Americans lives. As seem from the beginning we notice that music is a big part of their life. They have a great love for it and its one of the most cherished things of their life. this is the one place that the Indians can excel and forget about all the bad parts of their life. I like how you added in the name aspect at the end, their names are really interesting and thats another feature that separates them from other ethnicities. Their names could foreshadow something great, as in they could trick people by not showing there real name.
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